


Fire and Ash

by SpacialTangent



Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Affectionate Insults, F/M, Fluff, Grumpy Old Men, Jerk With A Heart of Gold, Magic, Optimism, Rain, Rare Pairings, Sarcasm, Side Quests, Sleepovers, Snark, Solstheim, Stargazing, Teaching, Undressing, battle buddies, lil bit of angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-16
Updated: 2016-10-28
Packaged: 2018-08-22 17:00:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8293259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpacialTangent/pseuds/SpacialTangent
Summary: A series of short, fairly chronological drabbles about the Dragonborn and Neloth as their relationship goes from reluctant friends to something more.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Once upon a time, I was scouring every fanfiction site that had an Elder Scrolls section only to be disappointed that there was very few, if any works including one of my favorite characters, Neloth. He's just so sarcastic and adorable. And what do we do when we can't find something to read? We write our own! Enjoy, you rare pair fans!

Walks in the Ash

    "What was Morrowind like?" Cyra asked as she and the perpetually grumpy Telvanni wizard slowly travelled down the dusty road to the dwarven ruins of Nchardak. Neloth paused, and turned around to answer the Breton woman with a skeptical look on his face.  
He thought for a moment, then sighed, gesturing for her to keep going. "Alright. I'll tell you on the way. If we keep stopping like this, we won't make it there before nightfall." She nodded. "Sorry, you're right."  
    "The ignorant think it is only a place of ash and lava. It has rolling green plains and swamps and verdant hills too."  
"It sounds beautiful." She could have sworn she caught the hint of a sad smile on his face. "It was, until Red Mountain erupted. Now it is... Less so." She put a hand on his shoulder, causing him to stop completely again. "Hey, I know what it feels like to miss your home. I haven't seen mine in... How long has it been? But it's like... a forest fire."  
    "In what way?"  
"Well, after a fire, it's nothing but ash for a while. But then, soon after, grass and wildflowers start popping back up, right?" His brow furrowed. "I don't see where you're going with this."  
    "After the grasses come the shrubs, then the smaller saplings. Before you know it, you have your forest back, bigger and stronger than ever."  
"Hmm... I think I understand now."   Another small grin. He seemed to enjoy having someone to talk to besides his apprentice and steward. "Do you have any other questions?"  
"Uhh... Got any hobbies?"  
    "What kind of insipid... Oh well. I enjoy reading, writing, not being bothered and studying magic. You could probably figure that out on your own."  
   "I like reading when I'm not training, especially plays. Oh, and I'm a student at the College of Winterhold."  
"That small college falling into the Sea of Ghosts? Pathetic."  
    "It isn't very prestigious, I know, but I like it there. I've learned some spells, met some new friends. Very informal, the way I like it." He stopped again. "And you yell at me for not moving?"  
   "We're here."  
"Oh. Sorry." She said, looking up at the half submerged city. Some bandits were camping out on the dry levels. The two were spotted rather quickly, having arrows and magic being thrown at them by scruffy looking dark elves. Cyra readied a fire spell in one hand and her sword in the other, running straight into the bandit horde.  
     She lobbed a huge fireball at the nearest reaver, disintegrating him on the spot. There was an vicious look in her eyes that Neloth had never seen before in all of his years. The Breton knew it was overkill, but a part of her wanted to prove to her companion that she was stronger than he thought. She slashed at another that dared approach her before shouting him into a pillar so hard that everyone within earshot could hear his neck snap, then using chain lighting on a group stupid enough to be standing in water. A spark of purplish-blue plasma and they were naught but crispy ashes floating in the ocean. Though he did notice if a reaver begged for mercy, she sheathed her weapon and magic, letting him go. This puzzled the wizard. Why give quarter to a criminal that was actively trying to kill you not one minute before?  
    They were both tired by the time the reavers had all fled or perished. "How was that for 'pathetic'?" She panted, smirking at the surprised look on his face which he desperately tried to hide.  
"It wasn't... terrible. You used some powerful spells that worked well in conjunction with your blade. And that... That... Whatever you did was is fairly impressive. I've never seen anything like it."  
     "I think the word you're looking for is "shout". I told you I was dragonborn, but you just chalked it up to silly Nordic fantasy. And... Thanks. That's all I wanted to hear, really. It's nice not being insulted by you for once."  
"Mhmm... You know, Talvas will be finishing his apprenticeship in a couple of decades. You should stop by, I could show you a thing or two."  
"Alright, sounds good. I'll be sure to come over if I'm not dead by then. Now let's go, that Black Book isn't going to find itself.


	2. Sunken City

Sunken City  

     "Wow, this looks nothing like the ruins I've been to in Skyrim..." Cyra took a moment to gape once they were finally inside. Polished bronze and gears turning smoothly, like nothing had ever changed. "Naturally. The Dwemer of this region had vastly different architectural styles than the extant colonies." Neloth snorted in derision at her childlike fascination as she rushed over to the glass case holding the Black Book that was embedded in the floor.   
    "This is so neat! How do we get it out? Magic?" She said, practically pressing her face to the glass. "Yes, 'neat', and so tantalizingly close, too... But trust me, no magic will open that. I'd have the book already if it could. We'll have to do this the hard way. If we can restore the steam supply to this room, I'm certain I can open it."  
    "You mean "we" can open it. There's no "I" in "team", Nellie!" She grinned. He glared at her in a way that only he could. "Fantastic, you can spell. And don't you ever call me that again, or you'll be paralyzed and vivisected before you can say another word. Follow me." He placed one of the cubes that had gotten them in there on a similar pedestal by the doorway, unlocking the way to the boilers.   
  
    "Sorry if I'm bugging you. I don't know if you know this, but Dwemer ruins and technology are some of my favorite things. That's why I'm so excited." She said, trailing him down the hall.  
"Hmph... I can see that. The last time I was here, I only explored a small part of the ruins. I was alone then, and I find an assistant is absolutely essential for this kind of dirty, dangerous work."  
    "'Dirty' and 'dangerous' are are what I do best."  
    The pair reached the main chamber. It was almost completely filled with water, but still retained its ancient grandeur, from the perfectly fitted stone to the metal trim and pillars.   
"Nchardak. The 'City of a Hundred Towers'. In its day, it was the largest of the great Dwemer archives, and perhaps the most advanced. In the old stories, when the Nords came to conquer it, it's said that the Dwemer submerged the entire city beneath the sea until the invaders gave up. I have my doubts. But this city was a marvel of Dwemer engineering, now reduced to this. As you can see, most of the lower levels of the city are flooded. But it isn't hopeless- the old pumps still seem to work. Watch."  
Another cube on another pedestal. With clicking and whirring, the water level started to go down, but only slightly.    "The pumps only operate when a cube is in a pedestal, and unfortunately I only have one cube. We need to find more. Bring that one, we'll need it."  
     "Okay, I figured that out already. I'm not an idiot... Huh... I wonder what it was like here, before the flood..." She muttered to nobody in particular, grabbing the small box and watching as the seawater rose once again. She could almost see Dwarven blacksmiths hammering at their forges, children running and playing, automatons skittering and rolling about, inventors and engineers at work, scholars discussing their findings. He walked over to a panel inset in stone and placed both hands on it, to which she followed him. "Yes... here we are. This shows the location of four more cubes in this section of the city. It looks like most of them were moved to the lower levels, perhaps to control the flooding before the city was abandoned. Interesting... That would suggest that the city originally sunk during the first cataclysm of Red Mountain, or that the Dwemer's servitors continued to preserve the city after their creators' disappearance."  
     She had also put her hands on the device, not noticing how close they were. One accidental shift and her left hand was on top of his right. A short half-second of contact before they both pulled away and looked at each other. Without a word as to what just happened, they continued on.

"These must be the Great Workshops of Nchardak. Impressive even in ruins. In the city's days of glory, it was reputed to be able to assemble a complete automaton in a single day. Much of the Dwemer army at the Battle of Red Mountain must have come from here. Hmm... Looks like we'll need to lower the water levels again before moving on." He placed the cubes in the two corresponding pedestals at the end of the bridge while Cyra was busy trying to discern what was hidden beneath the water.   
     Only one of the pair actually started whirring and draining some of the liquid from the room. "Stupid thing isn't working. I guess it is to be expected from technology this old..." He sighed.   
"I can go in. I'll just cast a water breathing spell and I'll be fine." Cyra started taking off her armor, and he couldn't help but stare at her. She had turned so her back was facing him, her soft brown hair reaching to the tips of her shoulder blades. She was short, at least compared to him, though she had a full figure that was a perfect combination of muscular and plump. Her curves were unfairly hidden away by her cuirass and greaves, the gentle slope of her back and hips entrancing. The only things left on were her underclothes and an ancient looking amulet around her neck. Cyra jumped in, surrounded by the purple glow of an alteration spell. "Just take the cube out when I say so I can get back out!" She yelled to him before diving under. Still slightly distracted, he was disappointed that he couldn't examine her longer.   
    Soon enough she returned with the next box, along with some little artifacts, trinkets and scrap she had found. She went over to the malfunctioning pedestal and kicked it in frustration. Suddenly, all the water drained out. "Ha! Looks like it just needed a manual reset!" Neloth secretly hoped the next pump wouldn't work so easily either, if just to see her in that state again.


	3. Unfamiliarity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there are some people reading this. Here's another short little chapter for you :D

Unfamiliarity

    It was the middle of the night before Cyra and Neloth left Nchardak. The twin moons of Masser and Secunda were high in the nighttime sky, and it was so clear out that every single star was visible. "What are you staring at?" He questioned the distracted Breton who had her head tilted back in awe. He could barely believe that this woman had the soul of a dragon, but he'd seen her slay bandits with nothing but her voice himself so it had to be true.   
  "The stars. I can never get enough of them. When I was a child, I'd look at them for hours until my mother had to yell at me to come inside and go to bed. There's the Warrior, the Lady, the Steed, the Apprentice, the Mage... I was born under the Lover, that one right there, near the Thief."  
    "I'm not used to hearing those names for the constellations. They're similarly designated in Dunmeri, but different all the same. I think that I correspond to what you'd call the "Mage" sign. They are all fascinating though, aren't they?"  
She sat down on the front steps of the ruins, with the wizard soon following suit.       "It's strange to think that they've been in those same positions for centuries. I'm looking at the stars my ancestors saw, and their ancestors before them. And all my friends back in Skyrim are looking at them too." She murmured, a grin starting to grow on her face.  
    He made a sound of approval. "You know, you're fairly thoughtful and intelligent when you aren't acting like a complete idiot." He said, breaking the silence.  
    "I think you mistake that for being lighthearted. Or being kind. With the stress and hardship of life, I find it helps. Being emotionally closed off just makes it all the harder." If anyone else had ever even suggested to him that he was wrong in any shape or form, he would have severely injured them if not killed them on the spot. But not her. There was something different about this human that randomly popped into his life, and it wasn't that she was a natural dragon slayer.

   After thinking for a while, sitting there next to her, he got it. Cyra didn't shrink and shy away from him like everyone else. She didn't treat him like he had authority over her, not kissing up in any way or being obedient to the point of incompetence. She was not cowed by his reputation and a harsh word like his apprentice, she even daring to sling even harsher words back at him. She treated him as an equal. A peer. And he was starting to think of her as one as well, something he hadn't even considered since the days of Sadrith Mora.  
   At some point, their hands wandered back together again, this time wrapping around each other while they stared up at the firmament. There they stayed, too engrossed in their stargazing to care or simply because they had started to enjoy each other's company. Nonetheless, it was almost dawn by the time they actually left.


	4. Lessons

Lessons

    "Hey, I can use that staff enchanter, right?" Cyra tapped the Telvanni wizard on the shoulder to get his attention. He groaned in response. She had interrupted him from his work yet again. He was getting used to it, though, since she stopped by to bother him quite a lot. "If I remember correctly, I already told you that you could. Is that all, or is this actually about something else?"  
She smiled sheepishly. "Uh... Yeah... The second one. My problem is that I have absolutely no idea how to use it. Could you maybe... Help me?" Her voice went up an octave at the last part of her sentence as her cheeks flushed a bright red.  
    "Fine, I suppose since you have been assisting me with my experiments I could give you a quick lesson."  
Neloth led her over to the room with the device, despite her knowing where it was already. "You know you need a heartstone, correct?" She nodded, pulling one of the strange black and red rocks from her satchel. "Now place both palms on it, like you would when enchanting a regular weapon or piece of armor. You can do that, right?" She did so, giving him a roll of her eyes for his last comment.  
    She wasn't expecting him to put his lithe, bluish gray hands on top of hers, or that he'd move so close next to her. His skilled, dexterous fingers lightly wrapped around her palms, guiding her. She could feel the heat radiating off him, his silken robes brushing against her arm ever so slightly. He smelled of canis root and spice, along with something else she couldn't identify but she knew she liked. It was an eternity, with him guiding her through each step. She hoped she was't breathing too fast. Or blushing. The nearness of the elf's body to hers was having unexpected effects on her. She felt tingly and warm all over, the sensation eventually resting in her lower torso. It was a pleasant feeling, and she never wanted it to stop.  
   After he showed her the ropes, Aya had managed to make a staff of frost-bolt. "Hmm... Quite good, especially for your first one." He muttered, examining her work. "You do have some talent, unlike my worthless apprentice. He's still outside, trying to get that ash guardian spell to work. I should probably go and make sure he hasn't killed himself, but I'd be glad to instruct you more another time."

 


	5. Side Effects

Side Effects  

   It seemed like the ashen rain would never let up. The pounding noise outside was constant, soothing yet annoying. A sharp crack of thunder and Neloth dropped a beaker, cursing. None of the commotion awoke Talvas, who had fallen asleep at his desk. "Damn this weather..." He almost didn't notice the soggy human that had slogged her way in and promptly collapsed on the floor.   
Cyra coughed, hacking up a bit of water. "Ugh... You know that spell you tested on me? Turns out it makes me weak when I get wet." Acknowledging her with an uninterested glance, he walked off muttering something in Dunmeri under his breath. "Great..." She uttered, watching him go.  
   She tried to hide her surprise when he came back with a towel. "What? Did you think I was just going to leave you lying there?"  
   "I'unno, maybe? That's kind of what you'd do... I'm... I'm too exhausted to think of a proper comeback right now."  
With an unreadable expression on his face, he began to undo the ties and clips of her armor. "What're you...?" She questioned, mumbling. "If you don't want me to get you out of this soaking armor and let the spell effects linger, then be my guest."  
   She promptly shut up, letting him work. After she was left in her underclothes, he knelt down next to her, lighting one hand up with a spell. Almost instantly after it was cast she felt better, waves of warmth replacing the bitter cold.   
   He disappeared again, returning holding a set of robes identical to his. "I'll have to find a way to get rid of that defect... You can wear these for now while everything else dries." She gave him a weak smile. "Thanks. Hey, I look like you..." Cyra said, slipping on the robes with a faint chuckle and sitting down in front of a small magic fire burning contained in an ancient hearth that looked like it'd seen the deaths of gods. "I suppose you do, except for the fact that you're not only a human, but a female one."   
   "Wow, great observation skills there."  
Neloth rolled his eyes. "I can see you're feeling better. I'll get someone to make some tea. I wouldn't want my favorite test subject to catch cold."  
   "Aw, how sweet of you."  
"Varona! Wait, she's dead. Drovas!"  
The only person in Raven Rock that was dumb enough or desperate enough to work for him came rushing over. "Uh, what is it, master?"  
    "Make some tea."  
"Canis root, right?"  
He sighed exasperatedly and nodded, the steward running off again. "You couldn't have found me anyone else?"  
    "Nope. They were all terrified of you except for him. And, well, if he were any dumber you'd have to water him twice a week." Neloth smiled, a rare thing. "Something we can agree on. That reminds me, I... have a question to ask."   
   "Mmhmm?"  
"You are... fairly intelligent, more so than most of the people I am forced to deal with. So... if everybody else is wise enough to avoid me, then why don't you?"  
    "Oh. Well, I've never had the most common sense in the first place... And I really like you." She said softly as Drovas returned with the requested tea. Neloth looked confused. "What do you mean by that?"  
    Aya looked at him with a hint of pity. "Have you never had a friend before?"  
    "No, now that I think about it. I've always prized my solitude, and there never were many people in Sadrith Mora that ever wanted to come near me, let alone talk to me. Same situation in Raven Rock."  
   "Well, consider me your first."  
"Why would you want to be... friends with me?"  
   "I dunno. I think you're interesting, we have similar hobbies, and I've found that we have an good dynamic when we do things together... And most of all, I enjoy spending time with you. Those are just a few qualities people look for in relationships." She poured herself some tea into a cup, taking a sip.   
His hard gaze softened, his harsh, angular face letting go of some unseen stress. "I... I enjoy spending time with you as well... Thank you. I don't think I've ever said that before."                

"Something new every day, right? Well, I should probably get going if I want to get anywhere by daylight." 

"Stay."  
    "Huh?"  
"Stay here tonight. It's late, you're still dealing with the remnants of my spell's unintended effects, and this rain isn't going to stop anytime soon. I wouldn't recommend wandering off to wherever in oblivion you go in your free time until the sun comes up."  
    "Um... Alright, if you insist." She shrugged, smirking coyly and blushing. Cyra stood up to go and get her bedroll from her pack, but an increasingly familiar slim hand on her shoulder stopped her. Not saying anything, he led her to a side room in the tower. There was a single bed and nightstand, and both of them looked fairly unused judging by the cobwebs in the far corners. She was fairly certain that there was no guest room. If there was, Talvas wouldn't be sleeping on the floor across the central hall surrounded by empty bottles when not passed out at his desk from over-exertion. By process of elimination, that left the wizard-lord.   
   "Uh, what about...?" She started to ask. Neloth waved a hand at her dismissively. "I don't sleep much. When I do, I'm standing up with my eyes open. My apprentice finds it rather... Unnerving."  
   "Heh... Thanks..."   
She tackled the Dunmer mage in a bear hug, earning a small surprised squeak from him. He felt his face heating up, the feeling of which spread through his entire body, heart threatening to leap into his throat. He waited until she detached herself before saying goodnight and leaving to sort out the odd emotions he was experiencing. 


	6. You

You

    Cyra didn't realize that she was being listened to. She was just trying to make some healing potions using the Tel Mithryn alchemy table before she headed off to yet another standing stone in order to cleanse it. She was humming the words of a old book filled with poems and songs she'd found in the ash out loud, though quietly enough that nobody else could hear her. Nobody save for an ill-tempered dark elf with sensitive ears that she had forgotten was still in the room.  
    "What a wondrous love it is to bind two souls in faith, chained completely together with never a false word, weal and woe, wish and real, woven each together from first kiss to last breath, first and last whispered in love."  
"An Urshilaku hymn, no?" She almost flung the alembic she was holding across the room. He was right behind her. Neloth seemed to have no sense of personal space whatsoever. He was practically breathing down her neck and she didn't notice he was there at all before he spoke. "Um... Yeah, I think so. Thanks for the miniature heart attack."  
Her face was flushed and she was breathing a little quicker and heavier than usual, her pinkish lips slightly parted. He found this rather... alluring.  "Oh! That reminds me, I have something for you!" She grinned after calming down, digging around in her satchel.                She retrieved a small pendant in the shape of a crescent moon made of reclaimed dwarven metal. In its center was a chunk of heartstone that softly pulsed red.   
   He was staring again. "It's to celebrate our friendship. My father was a smith. Taught me everything I know. Here." She motioned for him to lean over. He did so, and she fastened the clasp around his neck. Looking down at the necklace, he touched it fondly and smiled to himself. No smugness or bitterness in his expression, just genuine happiness.   
Neloth's smile faltered. He couldn't tell if this was friendship, or something more. And even if it was, she was human. Back in the height of his time on Vvardenfell, humans were considered little more than animals along with orcs and the beast races, perfectly legal for use in necromantic experiments.                       This stance didn't exactly hold up over the years, but he still heard a nagging little voice at the back of his head telling him that she was worthless and of no great concern. The rest of him, however, was starting to feel for her back.

   But what would she, a young and beautiful thing, want with an old elf like him? He supposed attraction was different for everyone, but he was easily three hundred years her senior, though he didn't particularly look it. She was, what, twenty two or twenty three? He tended to ignore the concept of age, as it was never really important in his life. Now it was coming back full force as a cruel reminder that unless he did something to prolong her lifespan, she would die much sooner than he would even with the slight longevity that normal magic users like her possessed. And though he'd hate to admit it, he couldn't imagine living in a world without her.  
   She could see the worry etched on his face. "Is... Is something wrong? You know, you can always tell me." He silently pulled her close to him, arms closing around her smaller form. "I don't understand... ."  
He sighed, resting his forehead against hers. She looked at him quizzically, waiting for him to continue. "I don't understand you, Cyra. Where are you going with this? I can't exactly tell what you want, only that you want something. I'm not a complete s'wit nor am I blind, I see how both you and your body react to me. Though I am not particularly well versed in relationships or what-have-you, but I'm starting to feel something more about you as well. All of your joy, your unyielding spirit, your intellect, all of you... Just... clarify."  
   She nodded shyly. "Um...Okay. I... I knew I liked you when I met you at the Earth Stone. I knew I was falling for you when we walked out of Nchardak. But I think I'm just realizing now that I love you. You're an overall terrible person and one hell of a sarcastic bastard, but that's what I love about you. You're intelligent like me, you make me laugh... I can see a tiny spark of compassion in you, and every time I dig some out, it makes me want more. And when you smile... Oh, gods. And you aren't half bad looking, either. Every time I see you my brain stops working and it feels like my entire body is on fire. I'd save the world one hundred times over if it meant I'd still have you in my life. I... I love you. I really do. I was just so afraid that you wouldn't feel the same way..."  
   His doubt faded, leaving relief and an almost tender look in his inquisitive red eyes. He ran a hand through her hair before placing a gentle kiss on her cheek, allaying her fears. "Because you're of a different race? Because I'm such a heartless old mer? I have feelings just as you do. And I'm feeling the same."


	7. Dance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the infrequent posting, life has been busy for me. Anyway, enjoy!

Dance

     "Hey, Cyra! You comin' to the festival tomorrow?" Geldis called to her as she walked down the stairs of the Retching Netch. "You bet I am!" Ever since the whole assassination incident with the Ulens and her subsequent rewarding of Cyra with their house, Raven Rock had accepted her into the community warmly. She sat down at the bar to chat with him.   
   "You know that it's customary to bring a date, right?"   
"Yeah..."  
   "So... Who's the lucky guy?"  
"I don't know if he'll even come..."  
    "Spit it out! Is it Teldryn? You two seem pretty close."   
"We are, but I don't have feelings for him like that. I've been... involved with someone recently, and that's who I'm taking. I'll tell you, but only if promise you won't freak out or laugh or anything." The barkeep raised his hand solemnly, trying to hide a grin. "Uh oh. Looks like the dragon has found a mate. I'll try to contain myself, I swear."  
   "Neloth."  
"Wha? Seriously? The old crazy-ass Telvanni wizard? He's been around since they invented dirt! And the whole insanity thing, hoo boy. I've heard he talks to mudcrabs, and that sometimes he tries to eat the ash. Not to mention the rumors that he cut the heart out of his former apprentice."  
   "He just isn't used to people, that's all! And I'm not sure about the first two but I know the third one's definitely true. I had to go re-kill her since she became sort of undead. No big deal."  
"No big deal?!"  
   "Listen, Geldis, I've killed a giant black monster dragon that was going to eat everybody's souls and also the entire world, along with the other dragonborn that was trying to take over this island and _then_ the world. I can handle pretty much anything, including a grumpy, slightly crazed mage-lord."  
He sighed. "Just... Just try to make sure he doesn't do anything too weird or dangerous if he does go with you, okay?"

  "What is so important you must bother me right now? I'm in the middle of something very important!" That frequent sneer she'd fallen in love with showed up again on his face. "Do you know what's going on in town tomorrow?" Cyra asked Neloth, sidling up to him. "What an inane question. I don't bother with the affairs of those in Raven Rock, so why would I?"  
"It's just that there's a festival, I think it comes from an old Ashlander holiday. You're supposed to bring a date, and I was wondering if maybe you'd accompany me?"  
   He thought for a moment on how he should answer. She could practically see the Dwemer gears turning in his head. "I suppose I could take a break from my experiments." He eventually muttered. She hugged him, almost tackling him in the process. "I'm so glad! After all, a date is supposed to be somebody you love. And that's you." She giggled and teasingly poked him on the nose, making him snarl a little at her.  
  "Don't get too sappy on me, Breton." He growled, gently placing a hand on the side of her face.

   The next evening, Cyra could feel the entire settlement staring at them as they walked into the square. She was wearing a skirt, which was unusual in itself, made of bright orange fabric and covered in ancient symbols and beaded strings, along with a plainer tan blouse. He had on thinner robes that were more colorful and shimmery than his usual ones, decorated in a similar layout. "What happens now? I've never been to an event quite like this." He leaned over and whispered, unconsciously grabbing her hand in a bout of unsureness.  
   "Well, we wait for the festival to start. Maybe go around and talk, usual party stuff." It was rather hard to find anyone that wouldn't back away hastily from them. She eventually settled on going over to Teldryn, knowing that he'd stay put if he knew what was good for him.      "Neloth, this is Teldryn, one of my friends." The mercenary waved sheepishly in response. "Uh, hi." The Skaal girl he'd brought with him seemed rather confused by his sudden behavior shift.  
   "Don't be so frightened. I don't bite."   
"Often."  
Cyra's comment earned her a glare from her date. "What?"

   It was a few more minutes of awkward small talk before the celebration got under way. The music started up, and it was unlike anything she had ever heard before. The sound of strings and drums and rattles rushed through her veins. She glanced around, trying to ascertain what she should be doing. "Do you not know how to dance?" He asked.  
She shook her head. "Not really. I've always been kind of bad at it. I'm a spellsword, not a bard." He sighed a bit, moving her hands to his shoulders before his own dropped to hold her hips. She let him set the pace, and soon they were lost. There were no other people besides them. They were quite a sight, the Dragonborn and the mad Telvanni wizard dancing palm to palm like no one was watching. She leaned in and kissed him.    "Thanks for coming with me. But.. how do you know about dancing if you're an insane recluse?"  
  "You cannot be both my age and a high ranking noble of a Great House without learning a few things, love."

 


End file.
